* Costello isn’t entirely happy with Universal’s decision to release several live albums, including Live at Hollywood High and Live at the El Mocambo, both recorded in 1978. "There's a bewildering amount of records with my name on them out there. They keep releasing all these live albums that all have the same songs on them. I don't know how anybody can tell the difference between any of them -- except for the cover. I don't have anything to do with them.

Basically , Elvis seems to feel its up to the consumer to make up their own mind etc. As regards the Rhino re-issues - grab 'me while you can!

johnfoyle wrote:Elvis seems to feel its up to the consumer to make up their own mind etc. As regards the Rhino re-issues - grab 'me while you can!

But why did Elvis go to the trouble of writing all those (excellent) sleevenotes if he doesn't want the Rhino editions to stay in print?

In 2007 Elvis has licensed his backcatalogue (from 1977 until 1986) to Universal Music. So Rhino doesn't have the rights anymore to sell these 2 CD-reissues. And it seems unfair if Universal would release the same reissues that the people from Rhino did put togheter.We can only guess why Elvis sold his backcatalogue to Universal.

Since you put me down, it seems i've been very gloomy. You may laugh but pretty girls look right through me.

* Costello isn’t entirely happy with Universal’s decision to release several live albums, including Live at Hollywood High and Live at the El Mocambo, both recorded in 1978. "There's a bewildering amount of records with my name on them out there. They keep releasing all these live albums that all have the same songs on them. I don't know how anybody can tell the difference between any of them -- except for the cover. I don't have anything to do with them.

Basically , Elvis seems to feel its up to the consumer to make up their own mind etc. As regards the Rhino re-issues - grab 'me while you can!

What seems rather a shame (amd a tad ironic) is if Costello's (understandable) disapproval of 'a bewildering amount of [live] records [with] the same songs' has been one of the factors leading to the cancellation of the 'Costello Show' live range. The irony being that had we gone on to get some of the (allegedly planned) releases in that range we'd have had some more interesting 1980s concerts with quite different set-lists. If it's the proliferation of 1978-1979 era concerts that's prevented us getting the later stuff, that feels like a pity.

The timing was certainly unfortunate, you're right-- after Hollywood High, we were heading into more interesting territory. But I think we surely haven't heard the last of Official Costello live releases. I predict that the next time he takes a stab at revisiting the live archives, Costello will be more at the helm and it will likely be more of an online venture as opposed to CDs being sent to record shops to quietly be ignored by customers...

Personally, I'd love to see some more recent live gigs released. A digital reissue of the Costello/Nieve live set, as well as something from the EC/AT tour, something with the Confederates and a Sugarcanes live album. A solo live record would be great too.

johnfoyle wrote:Elvis seems to feel its up to the consumer to make up their own mind etc. As regards the Rhino re-issues - grab 'me while you can!

But why did Elvis go to the trouble of writing all those (excellent) sleevenotes if he doesn't want the Rhino editions to stay in print?

In 2007 Elvis has licensed his backcatalogue (from 1977 until 1986) to Universal Music. So Rhino doesn't have the rights anymore to sell these 2 CD-reissues. And it seems unfair if Universal would release the same reissues that the people from Rhino did put togheter.We can only guess why Elvis sold his backcatalogue to Universal.

Let me answer all your questions. Elvis never intended the Rhinos to go out of print, but his agreement with Rhino was for a certain number of years. Obviously he would have renewed the deal, except that Rhino are now in very bad shape and ultimately couldn't come up with the money. Universal could come up with the money, so that's where Elvis went.

It's as a simple as that. It is extremely common for multiple versions of an artist's catalogue to exist on CD - for any major artist, that is. Look at David Bowie's catalogue - first on RCA in the eighties (no bonus tracks), then on Ryko/EMI in the early nineties (remastered with bonus tracks) and then reissued again in 1999 on EMI (new remasters without bonus tracks) and then a number of Deluxe Editions since then (mostly even newer remasters with various bonus features). I believe that Bowie's catalogue will probably be reissued again in 2012 when the rights revert back to him.

It might just be a matter of business, but it is a real shame that the Rhino editions were in print for such a relatively short period of time, given how definitive they really were. How long was The Juliet Letters even available for? A year? It might as well have been a Rhino Handmade...

I felt like a real dope buying those Edsel boxes-- they were a big expense for me at the time, and for very few tracks that I didn't already have (and even fewer that I really listen to all that much)-- but now, years later, I sure am glad I have 'em. They are nifty.

cwr wrote:I felt like a real dope buying those Edsel boxes--they were a big expense for me at the time, and for very few tracks that I didn't already have (and even fewer that I really listen to all that much)--but now, years later, I sure am glad I have 'em. They are nifty. I have no regrets when it comes to EC-related purchases.

I felt the same way. Luckily I found them on eBay for about $30 apiece over the space of a couple of years. And out of everything in the boxes, exactly FOUR tracks have been put into my iTunes. I do draw the line on a few things, but those I'm glad I have.

watercamp wrote:I came in late to the Rhino reissues but found all of them at my local used cd shops, it took me a year or so, it was like panning for gold finding one or two every couple of trips.

There is no doubt in my mind that the Rhino reissue collection is the best, toss in the 3 Edsel Singles boxes and you've got almost everything released between 1977 and 1996.

What bugs me is that I put off buying the Rhino reissues for years because I was a grad student and simply couldn't afford those CDs. Now that I have a decent income and *can* afford them, they're off the market! Cruelty, thy name is capitalism.

When man has destroyed what he thinks he owns
I hope no living thing cries over his bones

That's a great note from EC! The remark about WB cracks me up I also enjoy the cynicism in the line about "having Universal's money" and hey, they can self-immolate if they like.

As a fan, I'd appreciate his remark about "not living in the past" a lot more if he were still bothering to supply us with a fairly regular diet of new releases.

Elvis's back catalogue is indeed a mess. It's too bad, but then again, I've always felt that he has had a self-sabotaging tendency when it comes to career management. I am far from a completist and don't even own decently remastered versions of some of his classic albums; but my inclination is to wait a while and see whether something closer to definitive re-releases ever takes shape.

A wider question concerns EC's general legacy. 30 years from now, when a good chunk of his long-term fan base is either in the earth or in dotage, how much of his work will remain widely circulated and of ongoing interest? Don't ask me.

Poor Deportee wrote:A wider question concerns EC's general legacy. 30 years from now, when a good chunk of his long-term fan base is either in the earth or in dotage, how much of his work will remain widely circulated and of ongoing interest? Don't ask me.

I don't think he cares much about his posthumous legacy. He's said as much a number of times.

Poor Deportee wrote:A wider question concerns EC's general legacy. 30 years from now, when a good chunk of his long-term fan base is either in the earth or in dotage, how much of his work will remain widely circulated and of ongoing interest? Don't ask me.

I don't think he cares much about his posthumous legacy. He's said as much a number of times.

He may not care much - that seems true enough - but that doesn't make the question of what his "legacy" is irrelevant. Elvis is not the arbiter of what we get to discuss or think about.